Durability and Reuse - Transformation of the Suburban Type

Overview

Buildings and places evolve over time. This is a phenomenon that has occurred over centuries from Roman times to present. However, in the past half century, America has grown in ways that emphasized easy auto access, disposable buildings and isolated programmed uses. For many reasons, this sprawl mentality has proven to not be environmentally, socially or now economically sustainable. A specific case in point is the dramatic shift in office uses from the auto dominated, singular use “office park” to more urban, walkable and mixed-use scenarios where workers have access to their office via transit or the internet. One only has to look at the recent announcement that Marriott will be moving their corporate headquarters to a more urban, mixed-use, transit accessible setting. So what to do we do with these obsolete office parks? How can physical design and redevelopment of these buildings lead to the creation of sustainable community? This seminar will include findings from the Montgomery Planning Department’s study on the decline of county Office Parks, a history of the evolution of design of urban and architectural typologies, and design examples and techniques for the redeveloped office parks and isolated office buildings.